TRIGGERnometry Historian Tom Holland: Islam, Christianity & the West
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Sep 7, 2025 
Tom Holland, a historian and author known for his insights into ancient history and religion, dives into the complexities between Islam, Christianity, and Western civilization. He discusses the contrasting themes of cruelty and compassion in ancient narratives, and the transformative evolution of Christianity's impact on Western thought. Holland explores how early Christianity shaped social frameworks, the dual motivations behind historical conquests, and the resurgence of faith activism. The conversation also touches on modern interpretations of Islam and the intricate relationship between faith and modernity.
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Cross As Moral Upend
- Christianity introduced a radical moral inversion by valorising the crucified rather than the crucifier.
- That inversion reshaped Western values and made suffering and humility central moral goods.
Christianity's Mixed Inheritance
- Christianity blends Jewish, Greek and Roman elements into a universalizing faith.
- Rome contributed the sense of universal order that let Christianity imagine a global message.
Religion Woven Into Civic Life
- Greek religious practice was woven into civic life, not a private religion separated from society.
- Rituals and festivals structured civic roles and identity in ways modern secular minds often miss.
